| ASTRAWARE | the home of handheld entertainment |
| Gem Drop | Palm OS® Products |
Copyright (c) 2001 - 2003 Astraware Ltd, 2000 - 2003, GameHouse.
All rights reserved.
Practise those reactions and keep those gems moving in this masterpiece from GameHouse
As gems pour from a magic goblet, you have to guide them into positions to make groups of three or more matches! Do this and the group will vanish, giving you more space. Too slowly, and your screen will fill up - and its game over if you let them overflow!
Gem Drop Features
Use an extractor program such as WinZip or Stuffit Expander to get at the Gem Drop files. Install the game by double-clicking the .prc file, which opens the Palm Install Tool program.
Use the HotSync button as usual to install the game onto your handheld. If you have a handheld with an expansion card, you can then move the game over to it. Do this before you register the game!
Now run Gem Drop and tap the screen to play the game!
If you've got any queries about Gem Drop or the registration process, first check out our knowledge base on our website (you must be connected to the internet to access this). If this doesn't help, get in touch with us at support@astraware.com. If you've got any questions (or suggestions, we love those) about the game itself, please get in touch with us at the email address at the top of this page.
Gems continually pour out of your magic goblet, and out onto your screen! You have just a short time to decide where to put them to keep your screen as clear as possible. If you can survive a certain number of gems each level, you win!
Arrange Identical gems in groups of three or more to prevent them overflowing the screen.
Drop the blocks one at a time into the playing area. A gem can be grouped with its neighbours to the left and right, or up and down ( but not diagonally )
Once a group of three or more is formed it evaporates. Any gems that were above the group move down into the vacated spaces. If these cascading gems form matches then the score is increased for the new match.
Tap the screen or press the (customisable) drop button in whichever column you wish the gem to be released. If you fail to release a gem within a certain amount of time then the gem will drop anyway in whichever column the gem waits. You dont have to wait for the gems to reach the bottom before dropping another.
Use the stylus to tap on the column you wish the gem to fall. You can drag the stylus to change columns, the gem is released when the stylus is lifted.
Use the customisable left and right buttons to change the column and press the drop button to release the gem
To move onto the next level of play, you must drop the required number of gems for the level. Each blank area of the screen at the end of a level is converted into points.
If you match three or more white gems then the score for that match is multiplied by 10
Match a group of whites after two or three cascades for huge scores
Black gems are your best friends when you are running out of room. Choose to land them on a gem of which there are many on the screen. All similar gems are removed from the screen resulting usually in several extra cascades.
Here are a few hints that should increase your score
Go For Big Bonuses! - If you have plenty of space in the screen, try to avoid just matching the gems in columns of three. This will allow you to advance through the levels but you only score 70 for each match. Try matching two gems then sandwich another different gem between those and another of the same gem. Matching the sandwiched gem with two of its own kind will result in 70 points plus 420 for the resulting match. setting up greater cascades in this manner will result in huge scores.
Use Your Black Gems Wisely - After completing 12 levels the fifth gem of each level should be a black gem. Before starting these levels decide which gem you will obliterate from the screen otherwise you may find that you have wasted it on a single gem.
There's just one hidden feature built in!
If you're stuck on a level and the gems are nearly right to the top - then as an emergency you can write a graffiti 'P' and you'll get a free black gem. You can't overuse this though - you only get one every 10 levels....
Whenever possible, you should purchase your software from the portal where you initially found and downloaded it! This means that the portal can take a commission on the sale which they use to keep running and keep providing the listing and download service. Without your support these portals can not continue to operate! They will pass the details straight back to Astraware to fulfil your order just as quickly as if you'd ordered directly from Astraware's own web shop.
In Demo form, you can play 10 games of Gem Drop for free, as you decide whether you like it or not. After these games are up, the program will display a short message reminding you to register each time you play!
If you beam a demo to someone else, and they also like the game, then they can register it either by purchasing a copy from a local store or by purchasing online.
Registering Online:
For those that like the speed and convenience of buying via the internet, when you register for the game you'll get a code which will unlock the game and remain valid for future upgrades. Go to the web page at http://www.palmgear.com/software/showsoftware.cfm?prodID=41106 for more details.
You'll need to know your HotSync ID which you can find by running Gem Drop, opening the menus, and selecting the 'Register...' option. Your HotSync ID
will be filled in for you below.
When you register, Astraware will generate a key based on your ID, which will normally be sent out by email within 48 hours of you registering.
When you receive your key, go to the same register option, and enter the key into the space provided.
Registered users of the game are entitled to submit their high scores to our Internet High Score table.
Just visit the Gem Drop web pages at http://www.astraware.com/games/gamehouse/gemdrop/ and select the link to view high scores.
To submit your own score, you need to go to the menu in the game, and select 'export high score'. This will provide you with a code which you can then type into our site:
www.astraware.com/palm/gemdrop/highYou can only submit high scores once you've beaten the scores built into the game!
(Astraware reserves the right to remove this board or facility without any notice, or to remove individual names if necessary)
If you've got suggestions about how to improve Astraware Gem Drop, or with reports of any problems you've had, then please contact us!
Gem Drop enquiries/feedback: gemdrop@astraware.com
Registration problems: registrations@astraware.com
General Astraware
enquiries: feedback@astraware.com
Programming - Ben Exworthy, Ray Seys
Graphics - Marina Fish, Stephen Thorley
Game Design - Garr Godfrey, Ben Exworthy
Grant Of License
This License permits you to use Gem Drop on any single computer, provided the software is installed on only one handheld device at any time.
Copyright
The software is owned by Astraware Limited and is protected by United Kingdom copyright laws, international treaty provisions, and all other applicable national laws. You may not modify, adapt, translate, reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble or otherwise attempt to discover the code and algorithms of the software.
Other Restrictions
You may not rent or lease the software, but you may transfer your rights under this license agreement on a permanent basis provided you transfer all copies of the software and all written materials and the recipient agrees to the terms of this license.
No Warranty
The software is delivered as is and Astraware Limited makes no warranty as to its use or performance. Astraware Limited does not, and cannot warrant the performance or results you may obtain by using the Software or its documentation. Astraware Limited makes no warranties, express or implied, as to noninfringement of third party rights, merchantability, or fitness for any particular purpose. In no event will Astraware Limited be liable to you for any consequential, incidental or special damages, or for any claim by any third party.
Astraware Limited takes no responsibility for any adverse effect that this software could cause to your machine or the data on it: backup important data before using Gem Drop. Gem Drop is protected by copyright laws and international copyright treaties, as well as other intellectual property laws and treaties. Gem Drop is licensed, not sold.
You may not reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble this software.
Astraware’s and its suppliers’ entire liability and your exclusive remedy
shall be, at Astraware’s option, either (a) return of the price paid, if
any, or (b) replacement of the product that does not meet the warranty and
which is returned to Astraware with a copy of your receipt. This warranty is
void if failure of the product has resulted from accident, abuse, or
misapplication. Any replacement software product will be warranted for the
remainder of the original warranty period or thirty (30) days, whichever is
longer. These remedies are not available without proof of purchase from an authorized
source.
Written permission must be obtained before distribution of this game, either in demo form or full form, through any online or offline methods. You may link to the product specific page, but not directly to the files (as these will change and as the programs are updated)
Copyright (c) 2001 - 2003 Astraware Ltd, 2000 - 2003, GameHouse..
Astraware and the planet logo are trademarks of Astraware Limited All rights reserved.